2011
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The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Filling Budget Gaps in Medicaid
With the opening of state legislative sessions, we are beginning to see how states are proposing to deal with ongoing shortfalls in state revenues coupled with the loss of additional federal financial support for Medicaid from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). There is no dispute that states will continue to face difficult budget…
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CHIPRA Anniversary Approaching: Let’s Celebrate Successful Outreach
Elizabeth Wood (Editor’s Note: In honor of the upcoming Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act anniversary on Feb. 4, Say Ahhh! is highlighting how CHIPRA has helped connect children with coverage since President Obama signed it into law two years ago. This week, Elizabeth Wood, formerly with the New Jersey Office of the Child Advocate,…
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HHS Announces Funding Opportunity to Help States Build Exchanges
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has announced that states can now apply for grants to “establish” their Health Insurance Exchanges under the Affordable Care Act. These grants follow the Exchange “planning” grants awarded last September to 49 states, including DC, and will provide states with ongoing resources to move beyond planning and begin…
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IOM Works to Define Process for Essential Health Benefits
By Joe Touschner Even as the House of Representatives takes time to re-debate the Affordable Care Act, many organizations are hard at work implementing the new law. Last week, an Institute of Medicine panel held a two day meeting to help develop recommendations on essential health benefits that will form the basis for state-based exchange…
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Florida’s Proposed Medicaid Long-Term Care Changes Raise Host of Questions About Impact
Florida’s 2011 Managed Care Legislation, HB 7107, established “Medicaid Managed Care,” a new statewide managed care program for all covered services. Two separate components are anticipated for the new program: the Florida Long-Term Care Managed Care program, slated for implementation first, and the Florida Managed Medical Assistance program, an expansion of the Medicaid pilot program…
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Will Shadow Still Loom Over Affordable Care Act on Groundhog Day?
By Jocelyn Guyer I’m feeling a bit like Bill Murray in the movie classic “Groundhog Day” as I brace myself for another round of debate on health reform. (It’s like déjà vu all over again!) As the real Groundhog Day approaches, Members of Congress will likely be in the midst of discussing health reform as…
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John Bouman Supports IL Revenue Package
During a lame duck session, the Illinois General Assembly approved a temporary increase in the state income tax along with a series of spending restrictions designed to bring financial stability to the state. The passage of the revenue package is the culmination of the efforts of the Responsible Budget Coalition, an unprecedented coalition of anti-poverty,…
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Block Grant No Solution for Rising Medicaid Costs
By Edwin Park, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities In the intensifying debate over cutting federal spending, troubling proposals to block-grant Medicaid or otherwise cap its funding are getting new attention. For example, Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI), the new Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, has already discussed block-granting Medicaid with some governors.…
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Holding Steady, Looking Ahead: Annual Findings of a 50-State Survey of Eligibility Rules, Enrollment and Renewal Procedures, and Cost Sharing Practices in Medicaid and CHIP, 2010-2011
Over the past year, as the nation’s attention was focused on the country’s economic problems and the debate over the passage of broader health care reform, Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) continued to play their vital role of providing coverage to millions of people who otherwise lack affordable coverage options. In 2010,…
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Holding Steady, Looking Ahead
By Martha Heberlein Over the past year, as the nation’s attention was focused on the country’s economic problems and the debate over the passage of broader health care reform, Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) continued to play their vital role of providing coverage to millions of people who otherwise lack affordable coverage…
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10 Reasons Why Repealing Health Reform Would Harm Children
By Bruce Lesley and Lisa Shapiro of First Focus (Editor’s Note: This blog originally appeared on the Huffington Post.) As is the ritual in Washington every two years, this week Congress began a new legislative session with Republican John Boehner (R-OH) holding the Speaker’s gavel. In remarks opening the 112th Session, Speaker Boehner recognized the…
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Flags Flown at Half-Staff – ACA Repeal Vote Delayed
Our hearts go out to all the victims of Saturday’s tragedy in Tucson and we wish the injured a quick recovery. President Barack Obama ordered all U.S. flags lowered and asked all Americans to observe a moment of silence at 11 a.m. today. Flags should remain at half-staff through sunset on Friday, Jan. 14, 2011.…
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States Should Seek a Balanced Approach to Maintaining Medicaid
By Jocelyn Guyer The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the nation’s incoming Republican governors (and four of those who are on their way out) are releasing a letter today asking Congress to dismantle the protections in the Affordable Care Act for low-income Americans aimed at holding Medicaid and CHIP coverage steady until health reform…
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Healthcare.gov Posts State-by-State Cost of Health Reform Repeal
As the politics of the health reform repeal effort heat up, healthcare.gov has posted some interesting statistics on the cost of repealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Instead of using emotionally-charged and inaccurate adjectives such as “job-killing”, the website provides facts about the number of people that would be adversely affected by the repeal of…
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Ringing in 2011 by Celebrating Progress in Children’s Coverage
By Vikki Wachino, Director of Family and Children’s Health Programs Group, CMS The New Year began just a few days ago, and many of us are just winding down from the festivities. But, if you’re still hearing the sounds of revelry, it may be the states that are continuing to celebrate the CHIPRA performance bonuses…
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Medicaid for Minnesotans Means a Happy New Year
Christina Wessel, Minnesota Budget ProjectDeputy Director Minnesotans have great cause for celebrating in the New Year. This Wednesday, Minnesota’s new governor, Mark Dayton, will take immediate action to help some of the state’s most vulnerable residents access health care. The move will take advantage of a provision in the Affordable Care Act which allows Minnesota…
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New England Advocates Share Successful Strategies for Growing Children’s Coverage
By Eugene Lewit, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation A new report by the New England Alliance for Children Health (NEACH) tells an impressive advocacy success story. More importantly, it draws practical ideas from the advocates who made it happen, serving as a guide to advocacy strategies that work. As most regular Say Ahhh! readers…